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Wax moth worms didn't die

We got some frames from a guy and noticed the webbing and a few worms. So we froze the frames in the freezer for 5 days. Then moved them in a bag out to the shed. When I looked today at the frames, there was a live worm! So thinking freezing doesn't kill all eggs. What else might work, or should we burn the frames?
Thanks for any advice!

Re: Wax moth worms didn't die

eggs are on the small side and also contain very little water. You need a good strong freeze to kill them. A freezer barely running at 32 or something will freeze stuff, but if you put them on the top or something probably didn't get cold enough to totally freeze everything solid. I've had fruit flies come out of the freezer alive after 24 hours or so (the adults). None of them survived 48.

Re: Wax moth worms didn't die

Which wax moth was it, greater or lesser. Lesses wax moth doesn't get killed by freezing...even frozen all winter with -20F lows. They're small larvae, often pink, and much smaller than the larger and fatter greater wax moth larvae.

Re: Wax moth worms didn't die

Re: Wax moth worms didn't die

Originally Posted by Michael Palmer

Which wax moth was it, greater or lesser. Lesses wax moth doesn't get killed by freezing...even frozen all winter with -20F lows. They're small larvae, often pink, and much smaller than the larger and fatter greater wax moth larvae.

It sounds like the lesser wax moth is what we have. I did notice the pinkish color. Thanks for the info. We have kept the frames in a bag away from our hives and will take care of them in the morning. It has been in the 20's here for the last few mornings. And the days are getting really short. Time for preparing for winter.